Curb Your Cravings – Lose Weight

Do you eat for health or do you eat for fun and for comfort? It is amazing how many people fall into the second category. Sure, most of them are aware of the health factor. However, the statistics make a strong point, that today, food is consumed for reasons that go beyond keeping us alive and keeping us well. Today, about 60% of all Americans are overweight, of that 30% are obese. Many of those individuals have been searching for ways to loose weight for years. Some people blame their weight gain on drugs and poor thyroid function, which may be valid reasons, however, the main problem for those astonishing statistics can be traced back to five reasons.

Reason #1: Your body does not receive the proper nourishment. It is mal-nourished (even though it may be 100 lbs too heavy for its frame) and it is craving energy. Your brain interprets this cry for energy with cravings for typically sweet foods.

Action: Saturate your body with wholesome, nourishing enzyme-rich foods that will provide you with all macro-and micronutrients your body needs. You do not need any outrageously expensive weight loss products, but I do suggest enhancing your diet with deeply nourishing whole food concentrates that will feed your body on a cellular level. That is the most perfect, most simple and most healthy weight loss diet. Eating healthy and wholesome meals does not mean you will from now on spend hours in the kitchen preparing them. As a matter of fact, it can simplify your life.

Reason #2: You have not eaten in several hours or you have not eaten enough, and you are actually hungry. Not eating for long periods of time can actually counteract all sensible weight loss programs. Your body may go into starvation mood and hold on to his fat reserves instead of burning it for energy.

Action: If it is time for a meal, sit down and have a healthy, wholesome dish that is well balanced in carbohydrates, proteins and fat and is in line with he current season (you should preferably eat warm and room-temperature foods in winter made with ingredients that have a warming character, like ginger, cardamom, nutmeg, chili powder, potatoes, pumpkins, onions, cabbage). Enhancing your foods with herbs and spices can further help you losing weight fast naturally.

If it is too early for a real meal, have a wholesome crunchy snack, like nuts, seeds, baby carrots and some warm tea.

Reason #3: You are angry. When you are feeling irritated, angry, stressed or upset, your first impulse may be to grab some food (or a cigarette).

Action: Instead giving in to your feelings, try to identify your emotion. Face it and deal with the issue, rather than keeping your anger bottled up. Remember, holding a grudge can cost you dearly. Hard feelings held for a long time can cost your health and even your life. Whatever issues you are facing, ask yourself: Is it worth that? Letting go of hurt feelings and forgiving someone, is like setting a bird in a cage free. And you will find out that that bird in the cage was you.

Holding grudges seems to affect some people’s metabolism. As they are keeping hard feelings bottled up, they do not seem to be able to get rid of body fat.

Reason #4: Loneliness: It is a very sad truth. Our society has brought forth millions of lonely people. (Latest statistics say that 1 out of 3 people today is taking some kind of anti-depressant medication, which very often has side effects that make people very hungry, consequently promoting weight gain and even obesity.) In the past, the family was the most important, most central element and everybody treasured family time. Unfortunately, this is one of the most valuable things that got lost for a large number of people. Fairly few families today sit together and share at least one meal every day, offering the opportunity to everyone to share their lives. Moreover, most people are too busy keeping up with their busy work schedule (or the schedule of their kids) to nurture relationships with friends.

Action: Whether you want to admit it or not, to a certain extend, loneliness is a choice. So, if you have a choice that means there is something you can do about it. Here are a few suggestions that might be helpful to you:

Immediately, when you start feeling down, and want to grab yet another unwholesome snack, call a family member you are close to, a friend or someone you think can share a little happiness.

Get involved. People that are involved in the community are happier people because they have more friends. Join a bible study group in your church, a mothers group, a choir, and a group of adults that meet once a week to play soccer or tennis or whatever your interests might be.

Reconnect with old friends. Try to find the number of that girl or boy you were good friends with in college. They may me just as happy as you to reconnect.

Set aside one day / night per week where you go out and meet with a friend.

Find an exercise you would enjoy. That by it self may help you loose weight quickly.

Reason #5: You are tired. Being sleep-deprived is a problem that many of us share. The days are simply not long enough to accomplish everything that needs to be done.

Action: As tough as this one is (I find myself there a lot) you must make a conscious decision to do everything possible to get enough rest. If you stay up late because you are on the computer, set a timer and have that computer shut itself down at a certain time. If you read too long, watch TV too late or talk on the phone too much, set yourself an alarm, put it at a difficult to get place where you have to make an effort to get to. Agree with yourself to finish whatever you are doing and then turn off the alarm. Make up your mind to go to bed early one night per week, reminding yourself, that your health needs to take a higher priority than your house. Getting enough sleep is one of the most basic principles how to loose weight.